He toppled a dictator and traded fatigues for a suit — Syria's new leader tries to reassure the U.S.

As a former Al Qaeda fighter with a U.S. bounty on his head, experts say Abu Mohammad al-Jolani's first challenge has been proving to the world that he himself is a changed man.

Topics

U.S. and Allies Race to Shape a New Syria

As a rebel alliance with a tenuous hold on power struggles to assert control of the fractured country, Israel, Turkey and the United States are trying to influence what Syria will become.
The New York Times - Dec. 13
Syria’s New Leaders Balance Huge Struggles Amid Disorder

The rebels who seized control called for foreign help in prosecuting atrocities, while trying to restore order in a fractured country.
The New York Times - Dec. 12
Inside the palace of Syria's deposed dictator

Days after Syria's longtime president, Bashar al-Assad, was driven from power and the country, NBC News' Richard Engel got an inside look at the palace where Assad lived in luxury.
NBC News - Dec. 11
Trump Has a New Favorite Foreign Leader. He’s Known as ‘the Madman.’

Javier Milei and the rebirth of austerity for the needy.
The New York Times - Dec. 10
U.S. Scrambles to Navigate Perils of a New Syria

The Biden administration is relying on Turkey to convey messages to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which toppled Bashar al-Assad but is designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization.
The New York Times - Dec. 9
Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad?

Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters
ABC News - Dec. 9
Nations and Leaders React to Toppling of Syria Regime

The U.N. special envoy called it a “watershed moment” on Sunday as world leaders reckoned with the news.
The New York Times - Dec. 8
'No-one slept in Syria last night' - how news of Assad's toppling spread

Residents in the Syrian capital tell of an anxious night waiting for news of the fall of Bashar Al-Assad.
BBC News - Dec. 8
He Wore His Suits Well. He’s a Dog.

A Shiba Inu of uncommon sartorial panache, Bodhi modeled for Coach and was the subject of his own fashion lookbook.
The New York Times - Dec. 5